Biggest celebrity meltdowns of 2009

With every showbiz star that rises, there’s always one that comes crashing down to earth with a sizzling thump.

Bruised and battered: Rihanna had dramatic split from Chris BrownThis year, young R’n’B star Chris Brown watched his devoted following of fans melt faster than the cheese on a Big Mac.The Forever singer, also landed himself a nod for split of the year, after he split his girlfriend Rihanna ‘slip in a spectacular row in the car just moments before she was due to take to the stage at the Grammy Awards in February.

The Umbrella star went into hiding as Brown’s music was boycotted and his career went into freefall. Like every superstar, RiRi turned bad into good after she came romping back on to the scene with a new album Rated R and boasting about sex by the year’s end. Meanwhile, Brown was left whimpering on Twitter after starting six months of community service.

But soon Brown was a forgotten man, with the media turning to bigger fish to fry. Step forward unlikely Scottish spinster Susan Boyle . The Hairy Fairy from a small town in Scotland was left shell-shocked along with the millions of viewers after she unleashed her raw singing talent with a barnstorming rendition of I Dreamed A Dream on Simon Cowell ‘sBritain’s Got Talent show.

Her efforts became a global smash on YouTube, breaking web records by the hour. Even before she made it to the show final Su-Bo looked frazzled and by the show’s end she was carted away with exhaustion. After weeks in hiding she was gently rolled out for Cowell and co. to cash in after her debut album romped to the top of the US Billboard charts. Still looking fragile, there are fears for another break down as Su-Bo was spotted in tears as she was peddled round another international promo.

Under pressure: Mischa went to hospital

Hollywood dollyMischa Bartonfollowed in the footsteps of her Tinseltown matesLindsay Lohanand Britney Spears after she was carted off to hospital in a mad moment and reportedly placed in a ‘psychiatric’ ward. As her US TV show The Beautiful Life was canned and the work dried up, the London girl denied she was facing the pressure, explaining her debacle was all down to sore teeth.

Just when you thought you could count her out, Iceland beauty Kerry Katona stepped up and delivered another shameful episode after she was stung when she was filmed snorting coke while the kids were at home. She was immediately axed from a whole string of jobs, including her lucrative Iceland money spinner. Topping off another woeful year, the kebab loving queen kicked down her accountants door demanding ‘Show me the money!’ before she was put in handcuffs and carted off to the cop shop.

Kerry Katona slurs as career slides

Kate Mossproved her once ‘effortless cool Kate’ image is long dead and buried after she was caught on live TV throwing a diva strop at the glamorous GQ Awards after storming out the event afterJames Nesbittpublicly ridiculed her on stage. After posing against a pillar for some dodgy party snaps, she was filmed interrupting aDizzee Rascalinterview back stage, screaming like a mad hatter before she stormed off home with worried palLily Allentip-toeing out in her wake.

He’s the new star of Sherlock Holmes, butJude Lawproved he is more than ready to take on one of Jackie Chan’s film roles after striking out and clobbering yet another paparazzi, this time a female one. The moody Hamlet star bubbled over after he left a night out in Mayfair withLeonardo DiCaprioduring the summer but unsurprisingly played down the run-in just hours after. His hissy fit comes after he was arrested for clobbering another pap outside his North London home back in 2007. His womanizing reputation then took a major hit after US Samantha Burke stepped forward to reveal she was carrying his love child, who he is still yet to meet.

While most stars accidentally tumble into their meltdowns, Chelsea starFrank Lampardwent out of his way to let loose as he phoned up a live radio show to rant down the phone over criticism following his split with his fiancéElen Rivas. In a furious uncontrolled spiel, Lamps lay into ‘idiot’ LBC radio hostJames O’Brienfor branding him ‘weak’ and ‘scum’ after the host accused him of shipping Rivas and the kids out of his Chelsea play pad. Lampard said he was more than happy to sort things out man to man, warning O’Brien: ‘Next time I’ll speak to you man to man, forget the radio show, I’ll speak to you man to man about that.’